“Women and the Franchise."

White Ribbon, Volume 4, Issue 41, 1 November 1898, Page 9

“Women and the Franchise."

[The following Paper was read by Mrs W. K. Judkins at a drawing-room meeting held in connection with the Wellington W.C.T.U.:—

A question that has caused me a good deal of speculation since our last General Elections has been the pan played by women in them, and in the Local Option polls. It is considered that the general opinion before they took place was that the women's vote would keep out of Parliament some men of questionable reputation, and swell very largely, even perhaps to the carrying of “ No License,” the vote in favour of it. Dunedin was a case in

point of this. There the women’s vote, if cast in favour of “ No Lice.ise, ’ would completely have swamped th<* vote of the men Very gen ral was the surprise evinced all over the colony when it was found that the votes, both in connection with the Parliamentary elections and the L. O. polls, varied very little from previous ones except in proportionate incr ase of votes cast. And apart from the fact that a very large proportion of the increase of 50,000 votes may have been women’s votes, the fact remains that women as a body could not have voted for the abolition of the evil that is above all thers the foe to womanhood, otherwise in numbers they would have conquered. It was generally, however, concluded that the franchise to women meant that the men got a double vote. One or two considerations are opened up here. Either the women as a whole do not yet see their duty in regard to the liquor traffic, or the opinions of the wife have been dominated by the husband 111 regard to the former of these suggestions it is very evident to me that we should not regard woman generally as being in favour of the sweeping away of the drink curse sim ply because she is a woman, and is direfully affected by it In the ideal every woman ought to hate it not simply because of the degradation of hrr sex through it, but also because of the iniquitous effect it has on others. Hut the women do not hate it as a body any more than the men. Womanly instincts have not accomplished as much as they ought to have done. The big fact is before us that women sadly need educating, just as sadly as do the men. W here we have looked for the tender solicitude of wives and mothers to dictate opposition to w hat more than anything else causes the ruin of husbands and sons, we have been astonished to find callousness and indifference. Then as to the second suggestion. I have come across cases where the better feelings and higher moral tone of the wife have been overruled by the husband I remember one case particularly, where a lady met my husband just after the last Local Option Poll, and said in reference to a Prohibition lecture that had been given by him two days.befort the Poll. “I didn’t believe in prohibition till I went to your meeting Then the financial side didn’t touch me, but when you spoke of the possibilities of drink in conntc tion with the children it touched me, and when I got home and looked at

the little ones in bed I made up my mind to vote for Prohibition. “ Hut,” she said, with tears in her eyes, “ Will told me that if 1 voted for Prohibition lie’ll give me a lively time of it, and I voted against my conscience for peace. ’ That, I a n sure, was a typical case. Now, I think these suggestions open up fields of work for all of us. In the former case, 1 think we women ought to make house to house canvass, when possible, systematically. We cannot measure the good results that would accrue from a careful distribution of literature and a quiet chat with women in their own homes. That is easily accomplished with persistent united effort. The second is harder to deal with. It shoo’d, however, be faced. I am of opinion that literature should be prepared and distributed, pointing out the right of exercising private judgment. Die equal right and duty of each to form their own judgment, and vote according to the dictation of their conscience should be pointed out; that the one has as much right to think, weigh, and decide as the other; that difference of opinion is compatible with the sweetest home life and the most perfect confidence between husband and wife ; that each should have the right to vote as each thinks best without the other “giving them a time of it.” This, of course, requires education, perhaps through years, but I am confident that much could be accomplished in the way of education by personal interview and good literature. Hotii suggestions I have made may, I think, be seriously considered by us, and active work done 111 the way I point out. Public meetings can hardly accomplish it. A small section of the city well worked would produce excellent results—how excellent and farreaching few can think, for every convert made, and every wife and mother given to see and exercise the right of private judgment, would form another centre from which influence would go to others. What we do we should do quickly, for another Local Option Poll is already in sigiit, and our work is hardly yet touched.